


The Best Joke of All

by meyari



Category: Smallville
Genre: Bullying, Demisexuality, M/M, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-20
Updated: 2012-04-20
Packaged: 2017-11-04 00:17:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/387542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meyari/pseuds/meyari
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the CLFF Wave 45 - Jokes: This is set immediately after S4:05 - Run: After one too many snide comments from Chloe and Lois about Clark's former relationship with Lana, Clark goes to Lex with a strange proposition. Lex is relatively certain that it's a terrible idea but he goes along with it. After all, how else is he going to live out his forbidden dreams?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Best Joke of All

Lex sighed as he finished the last stack of paperwork for the day. Even with his father in prison, there was entirely too much to do for him. Of course, lately it had been more a matter of cleaning up the messes that his father had left behind in LuthorCorp, but Lex still felt as though he was dancing to his father's tune. Add that to all the issues he had in town, and Lex felt rather as though he was never going to be free.

"Lex!" Clark called as he strode into the office.

"Clark, so good to see you," Lex sighed. He shook his head at Clark's surprised look, gesturing at his out box.

"Oh, bad day?" Clark asked with enough sympathy that Lex was able to actually smile at him instead of pulling out the smiles he used when dealing with customers, his father and politicians.

"Long day," Lex corrected. "What can I do for you, Clark?"

To his surprise, Clark hesitated. Normally when Clark came in like that he either had something that he needed advice on or he had something concrete that Lex could help with. Lex leaned back in his chair as Clark mustered his thoughts. Whatever it was appeared to be making Clark nervous and annoyed because he shuffled his feet while glaring back towards town.

"I need your help with a joke," Clark said finally. "I already talked to Mom and Dad and they're mostly okay with it but they said I had to ask you first because it wasn't right to pretend something like that without you knowing about it."

"A joke?" Lex asked, hoping against hope that it wasn't a practical joke involving farm animals or toilet paper, not that the truly thought Clark would abuse animals. "What sort of joke?"

"Well, it's kind of complicated only not," Clark said much more nervously. "See, ever since Lana came back from Paris, Chloe's been teasing me about her dumping me. Once Lois showed up, she got in on it, too. It's really annoying, and I want them to stop. When I told Mom and Dad about it, Mom made this quip about my needing to get someone else to be involved with. And that led to her and Dad having this really long talk about who might be a good match and coming to the conclusion that there really wasn't anyone, other than you, that would work to make Chloe and Lois stop teasing me about Lana."

Lex's heart stuttered for a moment at the sheer thought of Martha and Jonathan Kent approving of him for anything, even a practical joke. Then he ran through the mental list of females in town and eventually nodded that they were right. No female in town was appropriate and Lex, frankly, had an advantage of believability as Clark's long-term best friend.

"All right, I can see their reasoning," Lex said. "Is it really necessary, though?"

"Lex, Lois lives with us," Clark said with such a pained expression that Lex couldn't help but laugh. "It starts as soon as I get up and continues until bedtime. Every day. It's honestly driving me nuts. I mean, it was bad enough when it was just Chloe making the quips, but Lois doesn't quip. She harps on it all day long."

His laughter only made Clark's expression get more pained. Eventually, Lex got himself under control enough to nod. Clark perched on the back of the couch, smiling at Lex now that he'd gotten some level of approval for his practical joke. It could be very effective, depending on how they played it.

"Do I have approval to send you presents?" Lex asked. "This will be much more believable if there are little things going between the two of us."

"Mom said that things like small bouquets of flowers, small boxes of candy or movie nights together are fine," Clark said with an eye roll for the emphasis on 'small'. "Dad didn't much like it but he did say that he thought it wouldn't work without it. I think he's kind of grumpy about Lois' teasing, too."

"All right then," Lex said. "I'll send some flowers over today with a little note. Do your best not to let Lois read it."

Clark grinned. "Don't sign it. That'll drive her nuts. Okay, I'll bring something extra from the farm over tomorrow afternoon so it's going both ways. Movie night on Friday?"

"I do have some new movies I haven't managed to watch," Lex said with a grin that matched Clark's. "See if your mother will make that decadent cheese-covered popcorn, will you? I miss that. My cook's never figured out how to make it right."

Clark's laugh was pure mischief wrapped up in delight. It had been so long since Lex had heard it that his heart skipped a beat again. He joined in the laughter, offering a hand to Clark. One ceremonious hand-shake later, Clark left, humming under his breath. Lex smiled, looked at his In and Out boxes and decided he was done for the day. Planning little gifts to taunt Chloe and Lois with was much more entertaining than any of his remaining work.

+++++

Clark grinned as he checked the little note included with his bouquet of five sunflowers. All it said was 'Looking forward to seeing you soon', no signature, written by the florist rather than Lex. The paper and envelope weren't even lavender, which showed just how much restraint Lex was showing. Mom's eyes were dancing as Clark ceremoniously put the sunflowers into a vase that she provided. Dad raised an eyebrow at them, but he was smiling. As soon as Lois appeared at the top of the stairs, yawning and rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Dad raised his coffee mug to hide the smile.

"Hey, who got flowers?" Lois asked, blinking at them.

"Me," Clark said. "I'm going to go do chores. Call when breakfast is ready, Mom."

"Better hurry, dear," Mom said. "Breakfast won't take long."

Lois tried to grab the note but Clark snatched it away from her before her fingers could close on it. As he went out the back door, he heard Lois asking Mom and Dad who'd send Smallville flowers. Clark snickered as he hurried through his morning chores. Mom and Dad's noncommittal replies obviously just made Lois even more curious. By the time he came back in for breakfast, she was wide awake and steaming.

"Fork over the note," Lois demanded as soon as Clark sat down.

"No way," Clark said. "It's none of your business."

The way she narrowed her eyes at him made Clark scoot his chair away from her. Sometime this afternoon he would have to leave the note where she could get at it, just to hear her outrage that there was no signature on it.

+++++

Lex smiled when he saw that Clark's 'thank you for helping me prank Lois and Chloe' gift the next day turned out to be one of his mother's homemade cherry pies wrapped up in a red and white gingham cloth. He'd taken the time to tuck a pale blue morning glory into the knot before dropping it off with one of Lex's guards. The guard had a completely perplexed expression as he delivered the little box and its contents to Lex.

"I'm surprised that he didn't deliver it in person," Lex commented while wondering if he could afford a piece of pie before dinner.

"He had Chloe Sullivan and Lois Lane with him, sir," the guard replied. "He muttered something about being tailed constantly."

That made Lex burst out laughing. He sent the guard away and decided that yes, he could afford to have some pie before dinner. It would certainly be better than anything else he ate tonight. And if he imagined eating the pie with Clark, naked while in bed, well, no one needed to know that but him.

+++++

The flowers were followed by a little box of chocolates with cherries inside. Clark thought that was a really nice call-back to the pie that Clark had given him. It was wrapped in plain brown paper and tied with a piece of string. The boring wrapping was so ordinary that Clark burst out laughing when he saw the little box and a note with a sketch of a smiling face behind a slice of pie. Once again, there was no signature, which was good because Lois snatched the note out of his hand almost before Clark had a chance to see it.

"What is this?" Lois demanded.

"Just a thank you," Clark said. "And no, you can't have any of my chocolates, Lois."

"Don't be so greedy," Lois complained automatically as she stared at the note.

"Don't be so pushy," Clark huffed at her.

He left the brown paper and string on the counter for Lois to examine and took his chocolates up to his room. Once he was inside he started snickering because Lois called Chloe the instant his bedroom door was shut. Their puzzled discussion was worth the pestering he knew he was going to get. Besides, the chocolates were delicious.

+++++

Friday movie night was a thousand times better than any that they'd had before. Lex spent most of the movie laughing so hard over Lois and Chloe's response to their little charade that he didn't remember what they were watching. Martha had made the cheese-popcorn. Lex had gotten his cook to make the pizza with another pizza on it that Clark loved best.

They talked like they hadn't in years, laughed and just enjoyed themselves until after midnight. When Clark called home to let his parents know that he was still at Lex's, they even gave Clark permission to stay the night. From the annoyed tone of Martha's voice, Lois must have been even more irritating than normal.

"Cool," Clark said, grinning at Lex once he hung up. "So? Another movie?"

"Why not?" Lex said. "In for a penny, in for a pound."

"What do pennies and pounds have to do with each other?" Clark asked while sorting through the other movies that Lex had provided.

"Actually, the saying comes from England," Lex said, tapping a ridiculous action movie that should be open for a wealth of mockery. "Pennies and pounds are units of currency that have been used for centuries."

Clark's raised eyebrow invited Lex to continue to lecture rather than asking him to shut up. Lex's heart did the skipping thing that was becoming more common since they'd begun this little prank. He sternly told it to stop being so dramatic before starting a long, looping discussion about the old saying, what it actually meant and why people said it. The discussion dragged out until nearly 3:00 am before Clark fell asleep on Lex's shoulder. Rather than wake him, Lex shifted to get a bit more comfortable.

"I missed you," Lex whispered to Clark's sleeping face. "I'll miss this joke when it's over."

Not that it was really a joke for Lex. It never had been. That wasn't something that he could say, though, so Lex resolved himself to simply taking what he could get. The Luthor family never had been lucky in love. He had no reason to think that he ever would be.

+++++

"Where were you last night?" Lois demanded, once Clark got back to the farm.

"Lois, I'm eighteen," Clark sighed. "I've had permission to spend the night with friends for years."

"Yeah, but you didn't," Lois said, stabbing her finger into his chest. She had that manic, too much coffee in too little time look around her eyes. "I checked. Chloe said you weren't there, weren't with Lana, weren't with anyone you know. I checked. Where. Were. You?"

Rather than answer her, Clark rolled his eyes and headed out to do the chores he'd missed by sleeping in. It had been more than a little embarrassing to wake up draped over Lex on the couch in his media room, but Lex had been perfectly calm about it. He'd just grinned and said that Clark now had even more ammunition for their practical joke.

As Clark took care of the cows and chickens and then weeded a big patch of the garden, he had to admit that it really wasn't much of a joke anymore. Well, it was a joke. Seeing Lois and Chloe's reactions to their supposedly secret relationship was never going to stop being funny, but Clark had found himself looking forward to each present and each interaction with Lex.

It was fun. Getting the little presents, figuring out good ones to give back was a blast. Knowing that he had the freedom to go over to Lex's place or to call at any time was wonderful. He'd missed that as they'd grown apart over the last couple of years. Sure, he still couldn't tell Lex much about who he really was but that didn't matter.

Spending time with Lex was the most fun Clark had ever had, full stop.

"I… kind of wish it was real," Clark whispered as he finished his chores and headed back inside for another round of Lois' grilling.

+++++

"How could you?" Chloe bellowed, as she flung the doors to Lex's office open.

Lois was on her heels, both of them with indignant expressions that threatened a lecture of epic proportions. Lex sighed and carefully saved the charts and data he'd been working on. No reason to let their interruption ruin his work to reform his father's company.

"How could I what?" Lex asked with a raised eyebrow that only earned him two glares.

"How could you seduce Clark?" Lois demanded. "We're onto you, Luthor. He's just a kid!"

"He's eighteen years old," Lex said as he rubbed his forehead. He could already feel the headache coming on. "We've known each other for four years. He's been my best and only friend that entire time. I have not seduced him and wouldn't. Frankly, if Clark wants something like that, then he has to make the first move. I certainly won't be doing it."

Chloe frowned as if he'd just confused her, but Lois leaned on his desk to glare at him. Showing weakness wouldn't do, so Lex put on his best bland expression to stare back at her silently.

"Then what's with the gifts?" Lois hissed. "Flowers, chocolate, movies? You're seducing him!"

"No, I'm not," Lex reiterated. "Besides, he saved my life, gave me homemade pie, and the first rather excellent beefsteak tomato that he'd grown in that greenhouse he and Jonathan put up this year."

"He saved your life?" Chloe asked.

"Many, many times," Lex said. "The flowers came after the latest incident. I see nothing odd about saying thank you for the fact that I'm still alive."

Chloe and Lois exchanged puzzled looks. To his relief, Lois stopped looming over his desk. Instead she pulled Chloe over by the door for an urgent, whispered conversation that Lex would have to review the surveillance logs to decipher. It appeared as though they had some doubt about their conclusions, which Lex hoped meant that they could continue the joke. He didn't want to let go of Clark so soon.

"Okay," Chloe said so doubtfully that Lex had to fight a grin. "We'll accept that for now but we're going to be asking Clark what's going on."

"You might ask Martha and Jonathan as well," Lex commented mildly. "They're quite aware of the exchange of gifts. The last time I spoke to Martha she said that she was glad to see us patching up our friendship."

That made both Chloe and Lois stare. They hurried out, leaving the doors swinging. Lex shut them before pulling out his cell phone to call Clark. A warning of the impending invasion would probably be appreciated.

"Lex!" Clark said with enough delight when he picked up that Lex grinned at nothing. "What's up?"

"They finally made the connection," Lex chuckled. "Warn your parents that they're about to get interrogated. You might want to disappear for a while so that you don't get questioned to."

"Heh, I'll be right over," Clark chuckled. "I already asked Mom and Dad if another visit would be okay and they said it was fine. Let Chloe and Lois stew for a while longer."

"I'll look forward to seeing you then," Lex laughed.

+++++

Clark managed to put off being questioned by Chloe and Lois for another two weeks. It took some serious effort involving abusing Lex's hospitality way too often, sneaking in and out of the house at odd hours of the night, and all but running away from Chloe whenever she headed at him at school but it was worth it. He really didn't want to give up the joke.

Pretending to be Lex's secret lover was the best thing that had ever happened to him.

Of course, it was sort of backfiring. Clark hadn't gotten brave enough to ask Lex how he felt, but for Clark the prank was rapidly becoming real. He really did enjoy spending time with Lex. The secrecy was fun, not threatening and dangerous the way keeping his abilities a secret was. Heck, he was pretty sure that Lex actually knew about Clark's abilities. Lex had said things occasionally that Clark realized now could be interpreted as very gentle admissions that he'd seen something different about Clark. They hadn't even had a big fight over the lies lately, maybe because they finally had a secret that they were sharing.

Still, it couldn't last. Chloe and Lois were both way too determined for him to escape their questions forever. He knew he was doomed when they trapped him in the loft one evening when Lex had a big business function he had to attend in Metropolis.

"Don't move!" Chloe snapped at Clark.

"Finally," Lois sighed. "You've been impossible to nail down lately, Smallville."

"Guys, will you let it go?" Clark groaned. "I've got a paper to write."

"You've got some questions to answer," Chloe said as she stomped up the last few stairs to flop on his couch and glare. "I can't believe that you'd try and keep this a secret from me."

Clark saved his paper, not that there was much of it written yet. He glared at Lois when she tried to read over his shoulder. She snorted with disgust when she saw that it was just a history paper. Once his work was saved, he turned to look at the two of them with his best imitation of Lex's no-expression face. It wasn't anywhere near as good as Lex's but it seemed to make them back off a step or two, metaphorically speaking. Lois actually raised her chin and glared while Chloe didn't move from her spot on the couch but they did look a tiny bit less accusatory.

"You're dating Lex Luthor," Chloe said so accusatorially that he lost the no-expression face and glared at her. "You are! We've found all sorts of proof."

"And why would that matter?" Clark asked, with just enough growl to make Chloe's eyebrows go up. "If I was of course, which I'm not confirming because it isn't any of your business who I date if I choose not to tell you about it."

"He's older than you, practically a criminal like his dad, and a rotten guy!" Lois declared.

He couldn't help but bristle at her. "Yes, he's older than me, but he's not a criminal at all. Do you have any idea how hard he's been working to clean up all the messes that his father made? A lot of the stuff that people attribute to Lex was done by Lionel. It's not his fault that his father's a crook. Lex is a good person who tries hard and never gets any credit for it!"

Clark was all but yelling by the end of his little rant, much to his embarrassment. His passion about it seemed to surprise Lois, but Chloe just nodded at him as if he'd just confirmed what she'd thought all along. When he glared at her, she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Still a rotten guy," Chloe said. "He's trying to seduce you, Clark. I'm surprised that you don't realize it."

"He's never laid a finger on me," Clark snapped at her. "Lex is my best friend in the whole world, Chloe. He trusts me, which is more than I can say for the two of you. You've spent months teasing me about Lana. We broke up. It happens. So be it. She's happy. I'm happy. We've both let it go, unlike you. I'd swear that you're obsessed with my love life if you weren't being so obnoxious about this. Instead of trying to manufacture trouble for me you might just be happy that I'm doing well at the moment. A little support would be appreciated, especially since you claim that you're my friend on a regular basis."

Chloe flinched dramatically enough that Clark was tempted to apologize and take the words back, even though he'd meant every single one of them. He didn't get the chance because Lois immediately went on the attack. She strode over to stab her finger into Clark's chest as if she was trying to poke a hole through his shirt.

"You can claim all of that, but he's still a creep for getting involved with someone so much younger than him," Lois said with her jaw thrust out belligerently.

"Lex hasn't tried anything," Clark repeated while glaring at her. "I saved his life, again, like I have dozens of times since he moved to Smallville. He said thank you with some sunflowers since I like them. Mom made him a pie. So what? We've been friends since I was fourteen, Lois. What's the big deal all of a sudden?"

"You are!" Lois shouted as if she couldn't believe that Clark was trying to lie to her, not that he was. "You're grinning and happy instead of moping around like someone kicked his puppy. Every time one of those gifts show up you beam for days. I don't get why you'd react that way if you're not lovers. I mean, you obviously can't be gay if you were involved with Lana but come on, you two are practically in each other's back pockets."

"Demisexual," Clark snarled at her as he spared a thought to be grateful for the internet's wealth of information. "Look it up. It might explain a few things to you."

The term made Chloe go still and stare at Clark with startled wide eyes. Lois only looked confused. The two of them showed no signs of leaving him alone so Clark shut down his computer, shoved it and his books into his backpack and turned to stomp down the stairs. If they wouldn't leave him alone then he'd leave. Clark was getting really tired of being chased out his own home but if that was what it took to get some peace then so be it.

"Where are you going?" Lois asked while grabbing his elbow.

"Somewhere else," Clark said, jerking his elbow free. "I have a paper to write for History. I've barely gotten started on it because of you two. It's fifty percent of my grade, Lois, and it's due tomorrow. Leave me alone, will you? It's bad enough that you two can't get your own lives. Don't destroy my grades while you bully me."

Both Lois and Chloe squawked at being called bullies. Clark ignored their protests as he stomped down the stairs and then into the house to tell Mom and Dad that he was going over to Lex's to finish his paper. He didn't get to say where he was going because Lois and Chloe ran after him but Mom seemed to realize what was going on.

"Girls, come sit down," Mom said in her 'it's time for a serious talk' voice that always made Clark cringe. "I think there are some things that we need to discuss. Go on, Clark. Call if you're not going to come back tonight."

"Mom, I'm honestly going to be up all night working on this paper," Clark sighed. "It's the only way I'll get it done in time."

"All right, dear," Mom said kindly. The kindness disappeared as soon as she turned to Lois and Chloe. "Sit down, girls."

"Now," Dad ordered from the kitchen.

Clark fled before he could be sucked into the lecture that he knew from experience was coming. Hopefully between Clark's rant and Mom and Dad's lecture, Lois and Chloe would back off and leave him alone for a while. The guard at Lex's mansion was surprised to see him but he only nodded and let Clark in when he explained that he was hiding.

Lex's office was a little chilly but Clark didn't mind. Cold hadn't bothered him for quite a while. He settled in on the couch with his books and laptop, finally able to focus on his paper. Hopefully he'd get the darn thing done. Given that Lex wasn't due back until tomorrow afternoon it should be fine.

+++++

Lex sighed as he pulled off his tie and strode back into the mansion. The so-called party had been all business with very little entertainment. Rather than stay in Metropolis, by himself, Lex had flown back home to Smallville in his helicopter. Arriving at 3:00 am with little prospect of sleep before he had to get up to do Friday's work was better than staying in a town that no longer felt like home with people Lex had no desire to spend time around.

"Sir," Lex's head night guard called before Lex could head up the stairs to his bedroom, "thought you'd want to know that Clark's here working on a paper."

"At this time of night?" Lex asked, surprised.

"Yes sir," the night guard said. He shrugged, looking towards Lex's office door with a wry smile. "He said that he couldn't get the peace and quiet to work at home so he came here for an all-nighter."

"Thanks, Maury," Lex said. "I'll go check on him."

Lex was honest enough to admit that Clark Jerome Kent was the sole reason that Smallville now felt like home. Their practical joke had lasted long enough and evolved far enough that Lex was uncomfortably aware that they needed to have a long talk about where their friendship was going. Clark had never shown any signs of being sexually attracted to Lex, much to Lex's regret, but that had changed over the last few weeks.

Their friendship seemed to be evolving into something much more. For his own peace of mind, Lex needed to have that talk with Clark about what he wanted from Lex. Unfortunately, Lex was afraid to bring the subject up for fear of ruining what they had built so far.

Clark was typing away at his computer, so focused on his work that he didn't notice Lex watching him until Lex walking up and tapped the top edge of his monitor. Lex grinned at Clark's start of surprise, laughing quietly.

"You're working hard," Lex commented.

"It's that history paper that's due tomorrow," Clark sighed as he stretched. "Lois and Chloe finally cornered me in the loft and wouldn't leave so I came over here instead."

"They're still on about it?" Lex asked. He sat on the chair opposite Clark, putting his feet up on the table in the one spot not covered by books, papers or laptop. "They hadn't bothered me for two weeks so I assumed they'd let it go."

"Not even slightly," Clark complained. He saved and then flopped back against the couch dramatically. "I literally haven't been able to go home because of them. Mom and Dad had a stern talk with them so hopefully they'll stop bullying me about it. Plus, I kind of ranted at them."

Lex allowed himself to appreciate the way Clark's shirt had pulled around his torso, revealing the strong body that Clark normally hid under his baggy clothes. He'd pegged Lois and Chloe's behavior as bullying quite a while back but the one time he'd brought it up to Clark, he'd gotten nothing but protective denials in return. Letting it go made more sense.

"What did you rant about?" Lex asked.

"Um," Clark said so hesitantly that Lex raised one eyebrow at him and gestured encouragingly. "Do you know what a demisexual is?"

"…Oh."

The answer appeared to reassure Clark despite being completely and utterly inadequate. It was all that Lex could do as his mind raced through all the research he'd done when he was a teen and trying to figure out why he was attracted to both males and females. At the time he'd found the concept of being sexually attracted to someone only after becoming close to them incomprehensible but adding that to his interactions with Clark made so much sense of both the term and Clark Kent. This 'joke' had to have pushed Clark into being attracted to Lex. He frowned, leaning forward so that he could study Clark more closely.

"Do you want to stop the joke?" Lex asked. "I don't want to induce anything, Clark. We can stop at any time."

"No!" Clark squawked. He looked horrified by the suggestion, which was somewhat reassuring for Lex. "God, no, Lex. I mean, I'm really glad that you do know what it means. Neither Lois nor Chloe knew what it meant. But um, no. This has been… it's been really nice. I didn't realize for a long time that I did react that way but well, that's the term that seems to match the best with me."

"But…?" Lex wasn't sure what he was objecting to so he stopped himself from saying more. That appeared to be the correct choice as Clark waved at Lex to let him talk.

"Look, I've only ever been attracted to three people in my entire life, Lex," Clark explained. "Lana was first but it never really worked with her. We're a really bad fit. She never got that I actually wasn't looking at anyone else, that I did just want to spend time with her. Breaking up hurt, but I think it was better for both of us. Alicia was totally different. We clicked really well. I mean, she wanted um, sex a lot sooner than I was comfortable with and she was crazy, but I think, I think we could have worked out if she hadn't been murdered."

He looked sad enough about Alicia's death that Lex felt enormously guilty about how glad he'd been when he'd heard that she was gone. His personal little obsession with Clark shouldn't interfere with Clark's happiness. After a moment Clark sighed and looked straight at Lex with an expression that Lex couldn't interpret. There was hope, but there was also worry and doubt and fear, the same fear that Clark always showed whenever Lex poked too hard about Clark's supposedly non-existent powers.

"And then there's you," Clark said.

"Me?" Lex asked.

"Mmm-hmm," Clark sighed, looking away from the surprise that had to show in Lex's eyes. "You're the only other person I've ever been attracted to. It really only hit in the last month or so. I um, do like the way things have gone lately but if it makes you uncomfortable we can stop. I know you prefer women, Lex. It's just… me being weird, that's all."

"Clark, stop," Lex ordered. "I'm still processing that you're attracted to me."

That made Clark laugh. He raised one eyebrow as if to ask if processing was going to take a while. Lex gestured for him to get back to his paper. That was much more important than Lex's brain shorting out at the thought of actually having a chance with Clark Kent. Possibly an approved chance given the way Martha and Jonathan had been behaving lately.

Clark went back to work on his paper. Rather than go to bed when Lex knew that he wouldn't sleep, Lex got up, putting one hand on Clark's shoulder in reassurance before going to change clothes. A nice long, appropriately private shower helped. Clean clothes helped as well. Going to the kitchen and locating coffee, some pastries and a stack of sandwiches that the cook had prepared for Clark helped even more. He made his way back to the office, food on a tray, setting it on the coffee table for them to share.

"Thanks," Clark said. "Still processing?"

"Mmm-hmm," Lex murmured. "I'm actually bi so this is… momentous, Clark."

"Oh…" Clark said in nearly the exact same tone that Lex had used at the revelation of Clark's being demisexual. After a moment Clark went flamingly red. "Ah. Processing time."

"Mmm-hmm," Lex agreed. "Plus some reading. Work. I do have an early morning meeting I have to attend too."

He laughed at Clark's shy smile. The way that Clark's eyes sparkled with amusement made Lex's heart leap. Maybe there was a chance for the two of them. He got his papers from the desk and settled next to Clark on the couch. They worked in comfortable silence for a couple of hours. Lex still had a million questions he wanted to ask, but getting the answers suddenly didn't seem as important as simply enjoying his time with Clark.

"I do have questions," Clark commented when they ran out of coffee and sandwiches around 5:00 am.

"You know I do," Lex chuckled.

"You always have questions," Clark groaned while rolling his eyes. "But that's just part of who you are. And I um, like you. A lot."

"The feeling is very mutual," Lex said. He didn't acknowledge the blush that swept over his cheeks and up onto his scalp. "We should probably work through them, eventually."

Clark nodded thoughtfully. When he looked at Lex there was a promise in his eyes that made Lex's heart flutter twice as hard as before. He went willingly as Clark took Lex's hand to tug him closer. The tentative little kiss was a surprise. Lex's moan wasn't, at least to him.

"You really like me," Clark whispered, so red that he looked like a neon sign.

"I always have," Lex admitted. "I thought I didn't have a chance with your parents' response and your ah, lack of response."

"I just needed to get to know you better first," Clark said, pressing another, firmer, kiss on Lex's lips. "We'll talk. This weekend. If you want?"

"It's a date," Lex said, grinning at the delight in Clark's eyes.

The End


End file.
